Landmark poker machine reforms delayed by years, angering anti-gambling advocates
Former premier Daniel Andrews made a shock policy announcement in 2023 to force all punters to preset how much they were willing to lose before playing the pokies — the scheme is often known as "carded play" or "mandatory precommitment".
A bill to give the government the power to set up carded play was introduced to the parliament last November, with a trial to be held in 40 venues for three months beginning in the middle of this year.
But that deadline has passed.
Crown Casino was forced to implement carded play on its 2,400 pokies following the royal commission into its behaviour.
As a result, pokies losses have decreased at the casino and it has been held up as a beacon of responsible gambling by some of the casino's once-fiercest critics, including Tim Costello.
The legislation to set up a statewide scheme passed the lower house, but the government is yet to bring on a debate in the upper house, despite having the votes needed to pass the laws.
The ABC understands that the government will debate the bill in the coming two weeks of parliament, under a plan that will defer the statewide scheme until well after the 2026 election.
A trial will still need to be held to find the appropriate technology and to test the scheme.
That decision is reflected in this week's state budget, with Treasury banking on pokies taxes continuing to flow to state coffers without interruption.
Last year, the state collected $1.4 billion in pokies taxes — that is forecast to grow to $1.5 billion by 2028-29.
Had the state planned to implement carded play, the tax take would have dropped.
When the bill was first introduced late last year, a trial was slated to begin in May.
On Wednesday, Premier Jacinta Allan said negotiations in the upper house were continuing.
"We are committed to those reforms,'' Ms Allan said.
The laws have the support of the Greens, Animal Justice Party and the Legalise Cannabis party, meaning they could pass the upper house without major negotiation.
Reverand Costello from the Alliance for Gambling Reform has urged the premier to act, saying pokies are the most harmful form of gambling.
"They are literally the crack cocaine of gambling,'' he said.
"The cashless card at Crown pokies is working to prevent harm and Labor promised the public to trial and implement this card to all pub and Club and pub pokies.
The Coalition is opposed to the scheme, citing concerns from the Australian Hotels Association.
Greens MP Katherine Copsey said the party hoped Labor was not planning to capitulate to the pokies lobby.
"That would be unconscionable by Labor. The Greens are ready to work with Labor to pass this pokies reform right now. We have the numbers in parliament, so what are Labor waiting for?" she said.
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